About this blog:

This blog will feature tasting notes, reviews, distillery visits and whisky news with focus mainly on Scottish single malts. This will sometimes be accompanied by politically incorrect (whisky) opinions. You have now been warned! :-)The views expressed here are entirely my own, unless otherwise stated.

Tuesday, 21 July 2015

Benrinnes Distillery was up until 2007 one of the more odd ones in the family of distilleries. Why? Because it used partial triple distillation of its spirit - a practise only still used at Mortlach and Springbank distilleries. A complete triple distillation, however is still done at the Auchentoshan Distillery on the outskirts of Glasgow and, of course, with the Springbanks Hazelburn.

Like the other distilleries using this method, Benrinnes has been known to put out a slightly heavier and natural slight sulphury style of spirit which has often been used as a backbone in owner, Diageo's blends. Benrinnes also used worm tub spirit condensers, which is also said to add to a heavier spirit character.Its not often we see an official bottling of Benrinnes, so if you want to try this you'll most likely have to turn to the independent bottlers like the one I'll be reviewing below...

Benrinnnes 2002 36.81 (14.08.2002/xx.xx.2014) 11yo 'A Mad Hatter's Tea Party' 60,1%, 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel, 203 bottles, The Scotch Malt Whisky SocietyColour is pale goldNose:Quite full, vanilla, hay, lemons, grist/draff, hints of raspberry and ginger and cooked sweet vegetable notes, oils and hints of mint and wet rocksTaste:Be careful with this - its over 60%! It's on stewed and candied fruit (citrus and apple) followed by a rush of barley, vanilla custard creme and waxy/oily feel to it. Added water brings out a white winey edge and also some floral notes.Quite the dram with some of heavier notes coming through - one that'll grow on you!86/100!

About Me

My name is Claus Rasmussen. This is the 16th year on my whisky journey. It has led me far and wide, but mainly into scottish malts.
That said, also whiskies from the rest of the world has been tried, but I always go back to scottish malts. I'm also head the local whisky club and have done so for the last 6 years with great success.
If anyone wonders what my first malt was, it was Glenmorangie 10 back in Y2K.